Date from Hell
by HeartsXshadow
Summary: There's been strange occurrences in Amity Park…as in there's been no ghost activity for weeks now. A new threat is on the horizon: just what are these shadows? *Phantom Fumble*
1. Chapter 1

So, I've decided to release my edited story from all those years ago: _Date from Hell._ I'll be updating this in two chapter intervals. It's completed, so once I hit a certain number of reviews (or every few weeks) I'll update. Enjoy~!

Background information: Well, after watching _I Shouldn't Be Alive_ I was inspired by the episode _Date from Hell_, a (true) story of a couple becoming stranded in the woods after straying from their group. Somehow I got it in my mind that this would be a perfect Danny Phantom story. This is loosely based on that episode, and will include ghosts.

_Date From Hell_

Summary: There's been strange occurrences in Amity Park…as in there's been no ghost activity for weeks now. A new threat is on the horizon: just what are these shadows?

Pairing(s): Danny/Kwan (Phantom Fumble), possible Paulina/Dash and Sam/Tucker

Warnings: Slash (Yaoi, whatever you wanna call it). If you don't like the pairing, don't flame me. If you don't like how the story was written, please give constructive criticism. I'm going for horror, so it will be a little graphic…that's why this one is rated 'M'.

Disclaimer: (*Note: I'm only posting this ONCE. This applies to the WHOLE story.) I do NOT own _Danny Phantom_, nor do I own _I_ _Shouldn't Be Alive_. I don't make money off this either; this story was written purely for fun.

Now that all of that is out of the way, shall we begin?

* * *

Chapter 1: Dreams of the Damned

* * *

**"**_**Don't stray too far Danny. You may not live to regret it."**_

_**"**_**Come to us, Danny. We want you."**

_**"It's dangerous. Don't listen."**_

**"Quiet, child!"**

_** "These ones…these shadows aren't something you're familiar with. They're too much for you."**_

_** "SHUT UP!"**_

_** "You can't protect them."**_

_** "You dare disobey me, girl? I'll show you pain…"**_

_** "Your 'fun' will end in despair…just as my life did." **__A child's cry echoed throughout the ghost boy's head.__** "You can't say I didn't warn you."**_

Danny shot upright in his bed, heart hammering in his chest. _These dreams have been going on for weeks now…what does it mean? _He looked at his clock and grimaced. _Three O'clock on the dot…as usual. I wonder if it's really a message…or if it's just another ghost trying to fuck with me? _He took a few deep breaths and sunk back into his bed, pulling his blanket up to his chin. Danny hesitantly looked around his room, the adrenaline still coursing through his body. He was expecting Skulker to be hiding in the shadows, or even the Box Ghost in his shoe box.

_That's it…it must be some ghost trying to mess with me. _But he still couldn't shake the feeling that this was some kind of omen…something was going to happen, and it wasn't going to end well. He rubbed his tired eyes, pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind. _I'll tell Sam guys about it tomorrow…they might be able to give me some kind of insight. _And so Danny drifted back into his unpleasant dreams, a horrible laugh echoing all the while.

**/\\**

"That is weird." Sam agreed, crossing her arms over her chest. "But…do you mind if we bring this conversation inside? It's kinda cold…" Indeed, it was the middle of October, and temperatures were already dropping considerably. Tucker nodded in agreement, shivering as a particularly icy breeze swept through. Danny gestured to the pair and stepped aside to let them into his house. After seating themselves at his kitchen table, and having a cup of hot cocoa, they resumed their conversation.

"So…you think it's a ghost?" Sam asked.

"Well, I think so…" Danny replied. "But I don't know if it's really a warning, or if it's just trying to play a trick on me."

"Considering it has the voice of a child, maybe it's just a prank?" Tucker offered. "I mean, ghosts of children are usually mischievous, right?"

"Yeah…but…" Danny trailed off uncertainly. "In my dreams, it's just a voice. I can't see _it._ But it warned me of…shadows and-"

"The fact that it refuses to show its face is proof that it's only a joke. I know you're worried." Sam said gently, after seeing his look of disbelief. "And that's because you care so much about us-the town…everything. But I think it's just causing you stress. Maybe you need to take a break?"

"…But-" Danny was interrupted by Tucker.

"And if it was a ghost, wouldn't you be able to sense it?" Tucker asked slowly. "I mean, you couldn't even sense it in the room after you had woken up. So…maybe it's just a dream?"

"No. It's not just a dream." Danny said stubbornly. "It's…" He let out a sigh when he noticed their worried stares. "Nevermind. Just forget about it."

"Well, if you're really worried about it, maybe it's time for us to take a trip to the library?" Sam suggested. "I've heard of "shadow people", but we haven't really had to deal with them. It won't hurt to learn about them…" She pursed her lips.

"…Yeah." An idea popped in Danny's head. "Sam, you go to the library and read about the shadows. Tucker, you research any recent ghost activity involving shadows here…and I'll visit the ghost world. They have to know something about them." He looked between the two excitedly. "Well, get on it!" With that, he phased into his phantom form and sank through the floor, flying into the ghost zone.

"This isn't what I had in mind…" Sam huffed indignantly, and Tucker couldn't hold back a soft chuckle.

**/\\**

Danny flew aimlessly through the ghost realm, avoiding any stray objects that happened to fly his way. _Weird…no activity at all…Come to think of it, the town hasn't been that busy either. I wonder if the shadows have anything to do with it…?_

A flash of blue caught his eye and he just barely managed to avoid a sound wave. He didn't have to guess who it was that caused it: after all, who else used music as a weapon?

"Ember." He called, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not here for a fight."

"Hmm, is that so?" She asked, smiling seductively. "Are you here for a good time?" She laughed. "'Cause if that's the case…you'd be better off finding some whore in _your_ world." She sent another blast at the half-ghost boy, which he easily evaded.

"This is serious. I need-" Another sound wave boomed by. "-To ask you about the-" He did a quick corkscrew before tackling her into a floating rock, pining her to it. "Shadows." He finished.

At the mention of the word, Ember seemed to pale, even as a ghost, and stopped trying to free herself from his grip. "S-Shadows?" She stammered, her eyes darting around the area. "So the rumors are true then? They're Shadow People in your town?" He noticed a trace of hysteria in her voice.

"…No. At least, I don't think so. Why? What are they?" He noticed that she sighed in relief, though she was still shaking.

"If they're the shadows I think you're talking about," She began, "Then they're the worst thing that could ever happen to you and your little town."

"What are they? What makes them so dangerous?" He asked, feeling fear creep up inside of him. "And what rumors?" He added.

"You haven't noticed the lack of activity in your neighborhood?" She asked dryly. It was true; it had been a few months since Danny had to protect the city from ghosts, even minor ones like the Box Ghost.

"Yes…so, the shadows are responsible for that?"

She nodded briefly. "And I was going to check it out myself…I'm glad you saved me the trouble." She rolled her eyes and pushed him off of her. "Alright, alright. I'll tell you what I've heard of them…" They both sat down on the floating bolder he had just slammed her into, and Danny waited patiently for her to begin.

"Let me tell you that these Shadows aren't anything like Johnny 13's Shadow…these ones are far more deadly." She paused, expecting some question to shoot out from the Ghost-Boys mouth. When none did, she continued. "From what I've heard, Shadows are the physical manifestation of the _strong _emotions: love, hate, anger and despair made by occultists or demons."

He gave her a skeptical look. "That's all? They're _emotions_?"

She glared at him. "You little idiot. You don't see how they're dangerous, do you? Do you realize what they can do to a person or ghost?"

"Do you?" He shot back.

"I've heard, at the very least. And I'm not dumb enough to find out if it's true or not."

He sighed and quickly amended his comment. "Okay, I'm sorry. I don't know…so, can you tell me what makes them so dangerous?"

She gave him a pointed glare before continuing. "You see, as ghosts we have to use objects to harm anything." She gestured to her guitar. "We can't harm a human physically without these, though we can scare them shitless." She laughed and he waited, albeit impatiently for her to finish. "But Shadows don't."

"So…that's what makes them dangerous?" He asked cautiously, not wanting to upset her again.

"Not just that. They can take any shape they want, human or inanimate, and everything in between….you see, Danny, they can physically manifest themselves into any form they desire. Their only goal is to make humans or ghosts feel whatever they feel, and it usually ends in death for humans." She shuddered again.

"And what happens to the ghost?" He knew it wouldn't be a pretty answer. _But I gotta know…_

"They're either consumed or dragged to hell, depending on how strong the Shadow is."

"What do you mean by 'consumed'?" Again, he dreaded the answer.

"That's just it: consumed. Nothing is left of it…just an expansion to the Shadow, giving it whatever ability the ghost once had."

"And if the ghost is dragged to hell…?"

"It becomes a shadow or a slave to demons."

"Oh. And the human just dies?"

"Yep. They then become a ghost or a Shadow…or they just accept death and goes to wherever they belong. But most of the time they become a ghost because death is so quick, and they don't have time to adjust. And that's what they hope for…souls are a Shadow's nourishment."

"They feed off of ghosts?" He felt sick to his stomach. "I can see why you guys want to avoid them…"

"Well, now that you've confirmed their presence…" She trailed off and phased through the Ghost Boy. "I'll be on my way." She paused. "Try not to get yourself killed, Danny. We wouldn't want that, would we?" She smiled and blew a kiss before flying off.

He stayed there for a while more, staring after Ember. _I don't think she's telling me everything…or doesn't know everything to the Shadows. Maybe Tucker and Sam found something out…? _He felt a strange cold sweep over him and he couldn't hold in his shudder. He felt so…hopeless. _It feels like I should just die. I want to die. What is this? _

_**"Quit while you can." **_

Just as quickly as the feeling of despair had overwhelmed him, it disappeared without a trace. _That was…strange. _His heart was beating a mile a minute and he was shaking all over. _It made me feel…sad. _His eyes shot open as he remembered what Ember had said. _Shadows are physical forms of emotions…was that a Shadow that attacked me? But…that's the voice that's been giving me the warnings…What does this all mean?_

_**/\\**_

"Is that what you heard?" Paulina asked in awe.

"Yep." Kwan replied, grinning.

"…Interesting. And just in time for Halloween. But…they're three places…and only three of us. There's no way that I'm gonna go by myself, or go to all three places. That's just creepy."

"Well, I figured…and don't get mad…that we could invite Fenton and his friends." Kwan replied sheepishly.

"Why would we invite those losers?" Paulina asked nastily, as if they were talking about some contagious disease and not people.

"Yeah. Do you got a crush on that Manson girl?" Dash taunted, laughing.

"No. But…Fenton does have all that ghost gear, and with us going to those haunted places…" Kwan trailed off, hoping they'd catch on.

"Ah, I see. You think we're going to need it?" Paulina asked slyly. "You afraid?"

"Shut up!" Kwan fumed. "It doesn't hurt to be safe…"

"He does have a point." Dash agreed. "There are some dangerous ghosts here…"

Paulina sighed. "Well, how're we going to get them to agree? They don't exactly like us…"

"Haven't you noticed that they're always following Danny Phantom?" The other two nodded slowly. "They have some sort of interest in ghosts…this would be perfect for them! Especially considering there hasn't been any ghost activity lately…"

"I don't know if that's gonna work." Dash said. "I mean, like Paulina said-"

"I changed my mind. You're right Kwan; they're always near Danny Phantom. Maybe they'll draw him to us! Imagine him saving us!" She squealed with delight. "It's perfect. But…who's going to ask them to join us?"

"Leave that to me. I got it covered." Kwan replied coolly.

"Aren't we the smooth operator?" Paulina laughed. "Alright, fine. Give us a call when you get them to agree." With a nod Kwan left, leaving Dash and Paulina alone.

"You know the real reason why he wants Fenton's help, right?" Dash asked.

"Of course. But as his friends…we need to let him think we don't know. And when he's ready to tell us, then we'll be there to support him." She smiled and latched onto Dash's arm. "Let's go to the Nast Burger; I'm hungry.

* * *

How was that for a first chapter? I hope you like it…Reviews, anyone?


	2. The Final Omen

Well, here's the next installment of _Date from Hell_! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2: Approaching Doom: The Final Omen

* * *

"So, what did you learn?" Danny asked uneasily. "About the shadows?"

"Well…not much." Sam began. "All that I could find was this-" She pulled out a large book from her bag "-an encyclopedia of the occult. And it says here-" She opened the book up to a bookmarked page "-That 'Shadows are thought to be a demonic presence, or an "echo" of a deceased person that had extremely negative feelings upon death. They might be the product of "Black Magic"-a summoning spell done wrong. Shadows may also be an indication to a portal of Hell, or the Spirit world, being open. Usually they can only be seen from the corner of your eye. They can have any shape-human or animal-and should be avoided. They're considered to be omens of doom.'"She closed the book and tilted her head. "Gee, for something so 'dangerous', they sure lack information…" She pursed her lips. "I wonder why…Tucker, what did you find out?"

"Well…It was intense research, but I've managed to find one story." He shuddered here. "And…it kinda matches up with what Sam found out-at least, the Black Magic part. And it sounds more like an urban myth…but…twenty years ago, a little girl died out in the woods-well, was murdered." He licked his lips out of nervousness. "And…well, her mom wanted revenge.

"So…she went to the exact place her daughter's body was found and drew some kind of pentagram-a summoning one-to call upon the demons from hell to kill whoever killed her daughter. But…the things she summoned turned out to be stronger than she was, and consumed her soul on the spot. Rumors have it that the portal she created is still open…But no one knows where-if it exists-the pentagram is." He finished. "But…yeah. It sounds like a myth…right?" He chuckled nervously.

"…But…isn't it a little girl that's haunting Danny?" Sam asked. Silence filled the room. "This isn't making any sense. Danny, what did you find out?"

"Well…I ran into Ember. And she told me that Shadows are basically a physical form of a strong emotion: usually hate or despair. They feed off of ghosts…and the lack of ghost activity here indicates the presence of Shadows. She also mentioned that Shadows are _much _stronger than ghosts…" He trailed off after seeing the looks of horror on their faces.

"Whoa! They eat ghosts?" Sam asked. "How?" It didn't sound like she was asking out of curiosity…

"They're stronger than ghosts? What did she mean by that?" Tucker asked shakily.

"They absorb ghosts, basically…or drag them into hell and make them into other Shadows. And they're stronger than ghosts; they don't need to transfer their powers into objects to harm-they can hurt humans by themselves." He looked away from their petrified faces.

"You're not telling us everything, are you Danny?" Tucker asked quietly. "What else is there to them?" Danny let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"…Their only purpose is to…kill humans. Spread as much despair and anger…" A small gasp escaped Sam's lips.

"So the little girl in your dreams-"

"I don't know. All she does is warn me. It doesn't sound like she wants me dead." He sighed. "None of it makes sense…but, we've gotta get to the bottom of this."

"Danny, we can't. They only want to kill people! They eat ghosts! They're not something we can deal with!" Tucker exclaimed.

"So what? We wait for them to attack us?" Danny shot back.

"Tucker has a point, Danny." Sam interjected. "I mean, if your 'visions' are true, they won't harm us as long as we stay away from them…"

"Look at the facts guys! All the ghosts are fleeing the area. That means there must be an increase in Shadows. They're probably seeping into the city as we speak! It's inevitable that we'll encounter them sooner than later…so why don't we seize the opportunity and strike first?"

A moment of silence passed before Tucker relented. "Fine. We'll do it. Just…can you see if your family has anything that can repel Shadows?" Danny smiled in victory.

"I was just about to check on that."

* * *

Kwan stood outside of the Fenton studio, wary of the building. _They may be our town's source of destroying ghosts…but they're still pretty dangerous to civilians. _Putting up a brave front, he knocked on the door and awaited a reply. _I wonder how they invent these things-_His thoughts were cut short when Danny opened the door, a confused look on his face.

"Kwan? What are you doing here?" Danny asked, but thinking it was rude, quickly amended: "I mean, it's just surprising."

Kwan shrugged casually, his heart pounding on the inside. "Well…Dash, Paulina and me are…well, this Halloween we wanna check out some haunted places. And, we were wondering if you, Sam and Tucker would, you know, join us?" Danny gave him a puzzled look, and Kwan quickly elaborated. "'Cause there's three places we want to check out, and there's no way we can hit all three in one night. So, if there are six of us, we can split up into groups of two…" He trailed off, blushing. _Shit, I'm rambling. I hate that I do that when I'm nervous._

"…so, I guess we could." Kwan hadn't realized that Danny was talking.

"Huh? Oh! So, you will?" Kwan asked excitedly.

"Yeah." Danny smiled back. "So, I guess we'll see you on Halloween?"

"Yeah. See ya then." Kwan grinned back and walked to his car. He looked in his mirror and noticed a light pink blush across his face. _Shit, I was blushing. I'm such a nerd sometimes. _He sighed, though it was a happy one. _Well, I'd better tell Dash and Paulina the news._

_**/\\**_

_Well, that was strange…but convenient. _Danny thought. _Three haunted places on Halloween…that would be perfect to see if there's any ghost activity…and maybe interrogate more ghosts about the 'Shadows". Who knows, we might even run into a Shadow if we're lucky. Maybe that'd be unlucky…I don't know. I wonder how Sam and Tucker will react? _He sighed. _Well, I'll get some ghost equipment first, and then I'll break the news to them. _Quietly, he snuck down to his parent's work shop and searched the piles of long forgotten and incomplete ghost fighting mechanisms. _Wow. There's a lot of junk here…I wonder if any of these actually work?_

He sorted through the pile, carefully reading the labels, as they would be -oh-so-obvious as to what they would do. _Hello, what's this? _He picked up an object similar to a flashlight. _The Fenton Shadow Shredder 5000? Well, that sounds promising. _He clicked the switch and winced as a bright light flashed from the bulb. He quickly clicked it again, effectively turning it off. _Well, I'll have to see how well it does against a Shadow…_ He pocketed the object and located the blue prints to it as well. _I'll have tucker make a few more of these, and maybe have him tweak it a bit. _

He continued his search, and it wasn't too long before another object caught his attention. _The Fenton Shadow protection…hmm. _This one was watched shaped, and he pressed down on the center. Immediately a bright light emanated from it and quickly blasted around him, creating a barrier. _Fuck, it's bright!_ He pressed it again, and it quickly evaporated. _These look pretty recent…but their names imply something different. How long have mom and dad known about the shadows?_ He grabbed the blue prints for that as well and left the basement back to his room.

"Who was at the door?" Sam asked nonchalantly, flipping through the encyclopedia.

"It was Kwan." _That got her attention. _Indeed, she had put the book down and was staring up at him skeptically. Even Tucker looked up from his PDA.

"And he wanted?" Sam asked.

"To put it simply, he wants us to spend Halloween with him, Dash and Paulina." Danny answered.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And why would he-they-want that?"

"They want to investigate a few haunted places-"

"And they want to use your ghost gear to protect them." Sam finished. "Why should we? I mean, what have they ever done for us?"

"Come on Sam, don't be like that. It fits perfectly with our agenda!" Danny argued. "We wanna find Shadows, they want a good scare." _I'd better leave out the splitting into three groups part. _"I know you want to see Paulina terrified."

"Yeah, scared. _Not_ dead."

"She has a point, Danny. Shadows are dangerous…at least, we think so." Tucker added. "We can't let them tag along, especially when they don't have any experience."

"They want to go to haunted places, not places infested with Shadows. I'm thinking we can corner a ghost and see what they know about Shadows." He lied. "And just in case we do run into Shadows…" He pulled out the Fenton Shadow Shredder 5000 and the Fenton Shadow Protection. "We have these. I found them in the lab…do you think you can tweak them, just in case they have any flaws? We can't have any malfunctions with something as dangerous as this." The last part he directed at Tucker and his eyes lit up.

"That's not fair Danny, you know how I love to test these things out once I perfect them." Tucker grinned, his eyes shining. "I'm in." He greedily snatched the objects and their blue prints. "And I have a deadline to finish this…even better!" Sam sighed in defeat.

"Alright, FINE. I'm in too." Despite her tone, Danny knew she was excited.

"Good." He grinned back at them, fighting back a shudder as he felt a sudden chill in the air.

* * *

Paulina snuggled closer to Dash, clinging onto the jock's arm. "I don't know about this one, dear. It sounds terrifying."

"They all do, don't they?" He answered dryly. "But…you're right. This one is definitely fucked up." She lightly slapped his arm.

"Language." She teased. "But…are you sure that Kwan and Danny will be up for it?"  
"Hey, this one is the scariest. This is the fastest way for Kwan to, ah…make his move." He blushed, slightly uncomfortable. "And I doubt it's true…"

Paulina shook her head. "I don't know. I've always heard stories about this when I was younger. Don't you remember? That's why no one ever went into the woods…"

Dash rolled his eyes. "It's just a myth, babe."

She gave up trying to convince him. "Fine. I just hope Danny has something that can protect them…well and us too." She shuddered. "I mean, what if those places are what everyone says they are?"  
Dash smiled and pulled her closer. "Don't worry, I'll protect you." He pecked her on the lips quickly as the door opened, revealing an ecstatic Kwan.

"Well, they're in!" He grinned, and the other two smiled knowingly.

"That's good." Paulina replied. "You didn't tell them where we're going yet, did you?"

"Nope. We want it to be a surprise, right?"

Paulina hesitated. "Well…never mind. You're right. It'll be a surprise." _Still…I can't shake this horrible feeling._

_**/\\**_

"_**I warned you, didn't I Danny?" **__The little girl's voice echoed around his mind. __**"And now…It's too late." **_

_ He looked around. _How is it possible that the voice is coming from everywhere?_ He thought. And then, in front of him, the little girl appeared. He gasped._

_ She was terrible. One clear slash was visible on her neck, and blood oozed from it, staining her yellow dress. Her pale green flesh showed signs of decay, and every few seconds a chunk would fall off. There were cracks on her face, and pieces of her skull were missing, show casing her pink-grey brain. But most frightening of all were her blood-red eyes, staring right into his soul._

_**"They'll go for you, ghost boy. Your fate has been sealed…don't say I didn't warn you." **__She let out a sigh, and then she was gone, and instead replaced by Shadows. Their eyes were the only feature he could make out-bright red or yellow. Dozens of them-maybe hundreds- surrounded him, trying to consuming him. Try as he might, he couldn't get away. One sunk its horrible claws into his flesh, and he cried out in pain. It smiled in return and continued to drag him down._

_**"You'll make a great meal!" **__It laughed, before opening its mouth-_

Danny woke up in a cold sweat. He was shaking all over. _What-what the fuck was that? _He was on the verge of tears; he had never been so terrified in his life. He felt a stinging sensation on his shoulders and looked down at his ripped shirt. Blood spilled down both arms, seeping from five claw marks on each stifled a gasp, raising his bloodied hand to his face. The moonlight reflected off of the maroon liquid, making it shine like a horrible, deadly star.

And then there was the chilling breeze again.

_**I warned you.**_


	3. Worse than an Autumn Air

Chapter 3: Worse than Autumn Air

* * *

Danny ran his hand over his shoulders, tracing the jagged scratches. _They go from my back to my shoulders and stop just before my heart…_It was unnerving to think that a ghost-_demon_-could attack him from a _dream. It's unreal…_He shook his head. _Now I need to destroy them. They're already in the town…they can hurt anyone…_His phone alarm went off and he jumped. _Stupid thing…_he grabbed it off of his desk and looked it over. _Calendar event…shit. Halloween already? _He was beginning to regret agreeing to Kwan's offer. _Sam was right…it might be too dangerous._ He bit his lip._ Then again…it's only one night. What's the worst thing that can happen? _He didn't allow himself to think of an answer to that.

_It'll be fine…Tucker made copies of those devices _and _perfected them. Even if these Shadows persist…_He couldn't shake that awful feeling off. _Just don't think too much of it, Danny…we'll make it through this. Won't we?_

Kwan sat across from Dash and Paulina in the Nasty Burger, sipping his drink loudly. "So, Danny and I get the woods where the little girl was murdered…you two get the bridge where that lady killed her kids, and Tucker and Sam get the old hospital?" He asked nonchalantly.

"That's right." Paulina replied. "Of course we'll all meet at Danny's house first…you did mention it to him, right?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah…last night I messaged him and he agreed." Kwan shrugged, feigning indifference. "But if I can ask…why is it that Danny and I have the scariest?"

Dash rolled his eyes while Paulina replied: "Oh…I don't know. We just thought it would be most…_beneficial _to you." She smiled coyly while taking a sip from her water. "You figure it out."

Kwan blushed but chose to ignore the comment. "Whatever. You guys are just too scared."

"Bullshit." Dash replied haughtily. "I'm not scared of nothing." It was Paulina's turn to roll her eyes as she swatted her boyfriend's arm.

"Play nice you two."

* * *

Danny secured a jacket tightly over his frame, shuddering as another breeze blew through his house. He was grateful that his parents were out on ghost hunting missions (today _was_ Halloween after all) and that Jazz was out with friends. _That much less to explain. _He hated how cold and quiet it was in his empty house. He could feel the evil in the air…_I don't want to be alone anymore. It's only two in the afternoon and scared shitless! What's taking them so long?_ He thought, willing Tucker and Sam to hurry to get to his house. He had called them over fifteen minutes ago, and it never took them this long to get to his house.

A sudden knock at his door caused him to jump. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and his heart pounded uncomfortably. _Calm down…it's just Sam and Tucker. Sam and Tucker. _He chanted as he slowly made his way over to the door. Relief washed over him when it really was Sam and Tucker at the other end of the door. "I have never been so happy to see you guys." He sighed, dragging him into his house. "I swear…it's actually scary in here when you're alone."

His two friends nodded the second he finished his statement, already sensing the disturbance in the air. "Whoa." Tucker shuddered, gripping his own jacket around himself. "It's freezing in here…"

"And your ghost sense isn't going hay-wire?" Sam asked incredulously. "It must not work against Shadows…"

Danny nodded. "But with you two here…the pressure in the air has lessened." The trio stood in silence at his words.

"I wonder how long it'll last?" Tucker asked aloud.

"I wonder _why_." Sam questioned.

"I'd rather not think about it." Danny stated, laughing a little. "If groups make it safer…"

"Maybe we should call tonight off." Sam said. "I mean…look around us!"

"It's too late." Danny sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Don't ask me how I know. Just trust me."

"Like…we're destined to do this?" Tucker asked quietly. "Or that no matter what, our fate is sealed?"

Danny gave a brief nod, indicating the latter. "So…we might as well gain some knowledge of them…oh! That reminds me, did you fix up the tech my parents made?"

Despite the situation, Tucker grinned and pulled out three pairs of watches and flashlights. "The Fenton Shadow Vaporizer and Fenton Shadow Reflection!" He grinned. "I renamed them…their other names were so…bland." Danny returned Tucker's grin and grabbed one of each item.

"That's fine. So, each group gets one of each?" He asked, eyeing the equipment. "One gets the defense, and the other gets offense. Cool."

"I added extra features to each device, but I'll wait until the others get here until I explain…but, um, Danny? Sam and I do have a question…"

"And what would that be?" He asked, though he wasn't paying attention. _The voice is here again…_

_**"Hmm…this will work to your advantage. Don't screw it up…you just may be able to change your fate. My own as well…"**_

"..nny?"

"…anny?"

"Danny?"

He snapped out of his trance and stared at his friends. "I'm sorry…what did you say?" Both had 'worry' plastered on their face.

"You just zoned at…what's up?" Tucker asked.

"Did that thing try to contact you again?"

"It's…nothing. But what was your question?"

The two exchanged glances but dropped the subject. "Well, we wanted to know if you knew where exactly we're going."

"Come to think of it…no. I guess we'll find out tonight, right?" The trio didn't like the sound of that. It had an ominous feeling to it. And although none of them knew it, the three shared the same thought: _I wonder if there will be a tomorrow?_

_**/\\**_

There was a sudden chill in the air. It wasn't ghostly cold…no, it was far worse. It was vile, corrupt: true horror. The trees danced in anticipation, the shadows stretching far beyond what would be considered normal at that time. Glowing eyes shone in the shadows of the forest; devilish smiles gleamed. They knew what was to happen. Tonight was the night they finally got to feed again. Another lost soul…it had been far too long since the last. The eyes trailed to the young ghost girl, still a decaying, rotting body. An eye rolled out of its socket while patches of skin fell off in chunks off of her face and body. Multiple wounds decorated her small body from that devastating axe. Her clothes were still bloody from that fateful night.

Her soul had refused to leave its body, making it unavailable to the Shadows to devour. Instead it fused-a remarkable ability. Still…knowing what they had done to her was delightful. Trapped in the world of the living while one was truly dead…what truer sorrow was there? The only downfall to their trick was that she kept others away…no one had dared to enter The Forest after what had happened to her…but today she failed. Today two would enter…two would become corrupt, two would never leave. Two would become the next meal of the Shadows.

And for that they stirred with excitement, ignoring the small smile that formed on the child's mouth.

**/\\**

_I really hate this feeling. _Kwan thought. _It's more than the cold…it's fear laced with dread. _He opened his car door and entered slowly. _A quick prayer couldn't hurt…_

All through the Lord's Prayer that he quietly recited, he felt someone watching him. _No, it's worse than that. It's almost like they're…scorning me for saying it…_He continued the prayer, and with each word the feeling intensified. When he had finally finished though, the feeling was gone. _Weird. It's probably just my imagination…yeah, that's it. I'm freaking myself out._ Not even he bought that. He gripped the rosary around his neck and sighed. _Stop being a baby, Kwan. Look at the bright side! At least you get to be alone with Fenton…alone. Just the two of us…in the scariest fucking place in Amity Park. _The Fear itself had taken any erotic fantasy out of his mind. _The forest that no one has been in for ages…it's just a rumor. A myth…I mean, it's probably haunted…but it can't be…as evil as everyone says it is. I mean, if no one had been there since the incident happened…they can't possibly know. Right?_

He did his best to push those thoughts from his mind as he drove over to Danny's house. He was ten minutes early, but he doubted it would matter. _Better to be early than late, right? _He pulled into the Fenton drive way and turned his car off. Pocketing his keys he walked up to Danny's door. He knocked a few times and waited patiently. _The sun's almost gone…_The last ray of light shone brightly, much brighter than usual, before quickly dying, leaving him in almost complete darkness. _Frick…the aura here is worse than my house! _He thought, hugging himself. _A good time for a jacket…_

The door opened and he was relieved to see Danny standing on the other side. The two shared a smile before Danny allowed the taller male entrance. "Hi Kwan…you're a little early."

"That's not a problem…is it?" Kwan asked jokingly, walking into the near freezing home. "Geeze, it's fucking cold in here…" He shivered involuntarily. _This ain't the normal cold…_Upon seeing Danny's discomfort he quickly changed the subject. "So, Danny Phantom hasn't been around lately…in fact, there's been so little ghost activity."

Danny nodded in agreement. "Yeah…so, that's why we wanted to tag along. I mean, if there are any ghosts…today would be the perfect time to view them, right?"

Kwan smiled. "Yeah. I'm really stoked that you guys could come."

"About that…where exactly are we-"

Just then another knock sounded, and Danny quickly opened it. "Dash, Paulina…" He greeted politely. "Come in…and we're all here." Kwan noted how put off Danny sounded. _He doesn't like Dash, after all…_

"So, are you finally going to reveal where it is we're going?" Sam drawled, leaning against a counter. Tucker stood beside her, looking nervous.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get your panties in a bunch." Dash replied, rolling his eyes. "So this is how it's gonna go. You two," He pointed at Tucker and Sam, "Will investigate the old hospital. You know, the one where that doctor went psycho and killed most of the staff and patients…" Sam nodded while Tucker paled. "Paulina and I will take 'Baby's Bridge', the place where that lady murdered her kids." He paused for a moment for a dramatic effect. "And Kwan and Danny will take The Forest…Where that little girl was murdered."

Danny himself paled at Dash's words. _The woods…that's where I'm going. That's where the Shadows are…_He bit his lip and sneaked quick glances at Sam and Tucker. Both had tensed when Dash revealed the location Danny was to take. _So it's all coming together. This is why my fate is sealed…_

_**"Ask the boy to tell you my story. Use it to your advantage."**_

He tensed at her words. _She's back again…why? Why are you only haunting me? What good will your story do me? Scare me?_

_**"ASK." **_

The voice left, its presence no longer in his head. _What harm could it do to know the background information, anyway?_

"Dash? Tell me about The Forest…what makes it so haunted?"

"With pleasure, Fenton." Dash grinned, and Danny couldn't fight back the shudder he had been holding in for far too long.

* * *

There's chapter three! I hope you all enjoyed it…the good parts are coming up! Be prepared to be scared!


	4. A Mother's Revenge

Alright, this format is a lil' weird: Dash is telling the story, but the ghost girl will be adding in facts (**Bolded) **that only Danny can hear, followed by a flashback (basically, a combination of Dash's story and the finer details the ghost gives). Yeah, it's hard to explain, just read it! Now, this was written in the dead of the night to enhance the horror, so…enjoy!

WARNING: GORE. A LOT OF IT. I've edited out the extreme details, but if you're squeamish, refrain from reading this chapter.

* * *

Chapter Four: A Mother's Revenge

* * *

"It happened twenty years ago in the woods at the city limits. No one has been in allowed in the woods since then—Parents forbade us from going, saying there are evils we couldn't imagine. Of course we believed them. After all, every day there's some supernatural occurrence in Amity Park." Dash paused to lick his lips, staring at everyone in the circle. "But the evil in the woods is far greater than anything we've ever experienced. Not even Fenton's parents have dared to tackle that evil. Why? Just what happened in the woods all those years ago? Well, let me tell you…"

**"It happened twenty years ago, today." **Danny barely suppressed a gasp as the voice rang through his mind, his eyes darting frantically to the other occupants in the room to see if anyone else could hear what he was hearing. He was surprised that no one else seemed to notice the voice. _I guess that makes sense…_

"They say it started when a little girl wandered on the trail of the woods at sunset…"

**"I wanted to pick the flowers in the meadow. The autumn air was going to kill them, and I wanted a few to take home to mother…"**

_/Flashback/_

_ "I promise, mom, I'll be back before sunset." The young girl waved to her mother as she skipped out of their house, pausing as her mother called out to her._

_ "You'd better be back before then, or you'll be in a whole lot of trouble young lady!" _

_ "I promise!" She giggled as she continued her journey to the woods. She stopped at the beginning of the trail. There was an ominous aura emitting from the woods; danger and evil seemed to radiate from the area. But still the youth persisted; after all, these flowers bloomed only once a year. So she ventured onto the worn trail, though she remained cautious and alert. A few minutes into the trail, she came to the meadow and all of its beauty. She sighed in relief as she danced through the flowers, stopping to pick a handful of the pure, white flowers. _

_ "Please, don't!" The little girl's head snapped up towards the yell, pressing her body flat against the ground. She gripped the small bouquet as she peered through the stems of the flowers, horrified at the sight before her. A young woman had been running to the meadow when she tripped over a root, her ankle now a twisted mess as she dragged herself away from her attacker. A large man calmly strode towards her, axe casually slung over his shoulder._

_ "Sorry, babe. But you'd only report me to the cops…I can't be going to jail again!" _

_ "I-I promise I won't! I'll move out of town, across the country! You'd never see me again!" The little girl couldn't help but watch in horror as the scene played out before her. _

_ "Tempting…but, you can never trust a woman." He bought the axe down in alarming speed, effectively severing her leg from the knee down. Her shrill scream pierced the air as blood splashed over the flowers and on the man. The little girl sobbed quietly, biting on her own hand to prevent herself from screaming. Again the man swung the axe, this time splitting her face in two. Though no scream accompanied this blow, the body gave a final twitch—the little girl could barely stop herself from vomiting. Blood pooled around the woman as he continued to hack at her, until she was nothing more than a bloodied mess. _

_ The man took a few steps back, covered in blood and grinning. "Better get out of here…" he mumbled to himself, slinging the bloodied weapon over his shoulder. A suppressed whimper caught his direction and his eyes locked onto the little girl in hiding. He smiled as he began to walk towards her in the same manner he did to his first victim. "Well, little girl…I'm sure you heard what I told that bad lady over there…" He briefly looked over to the fresh corpse. "…so, you gotta know that I can't let you go." _

_ The girl could only look up in horror as the man towered over her, his axe held high above him "Happy Halloween." _

_ Sunset had come and gone, and the little girl's mother began to worry. "Something's not right…" she fretted to herself as she threw off her apron and grabbed a flashlight. She quickly ran down the path to the meadow, pausing just as she was about to enter the clearing. She waited and listened for any disturbances. When she heard nothing but the normal sounds of the woods, she walked out in the clearing, shining her flashlight all around. She dropped her flashlight in surprise at the sight she saw. She could only guess that the mess of flesh and organs was an older woman—and she only could guess that it was female because of the severed leg that was still wearing a women's shoe. The next sight was much more terrifying: her little girl was dead in the field, her body marred by various blows. While her face was untouched, the rest of her body was decorated with gashes and other mutilations. Her eyes watered as she looked at the girls hands that loosely gripped the white flowers. The woman stood up slowly, collecting the flashlight as she surveyed the area once more. _

_ She found an axe that was discarded near her daughter's body. "He must be coming back to burn the evidence." She wiped the tears from her eyes as sorrow was replaced with hatred. "I'll teach him a lesson…" She knew she didn't have much time—whoever had done this to her daughter would be back soon. She couldn't exactly place how she knew. She simply did. It was more than a hunch or a suspicion—she knew in her heart that he would come back. And when he came back he would be in for quite a surprise. _

_ Working quickly, she dabbed blood from both her daughter and the other woman and formed a pentagram around the pair. "For you, demons of the night…I offer you my body. Consume my soul if you need, but allow my daughter's death to be avenged! Destroy the man who killed her…I open a door for you to enter…obey my command! Kill him!"_

_/End Flashback\\_

"They say that she succeeded in whatever she was planning—a few days later hikers found the remains of two women and a man. While one body was a bloodied mess, the other woman only had a look of pure terror on her face, just as the man did. The body of the little girl was never recovered. However, the story doesn't end there." Dash paused once again as everyone stared in horror. "The hikers ended up murdering their close friends and family, claiming demonic possession. Even more frightening, any person to have entered the forest since then has been killed in unusual circumstances or to have gone crazy, and that's why no one has gone to the woods since." Dash finished.

"So, you really think that it's a good idea to send Danny and Kwan alone?" Sam asked quietly.

"Hey, it's only a story!" Dash defended. "I mean, yeah, there was a murder and all, but the demons and stuff? I don't buy it."

"Well, considering the dark and ghost infested history of Amity Park, I wouldn't doubt that—"

"Sam, enough." Danny silenced the pair. "We already decided to go…" He gave her a pointed stare. _We don't have a choice anymore. We need to face these things head on._ "Regardless, there's something definitely wrong with the city. I'm sure even you three have noticed it."

"You mean how there's no ghosts anymore, right?" Paulina asked quietly. "If we meet something ghostly or demonic…what are we to do? Will Danny Phantom save us?"

"I…I wouldn't count on Phantom saving anyone. He hasn't been here because of the lack of activity." Danny answered reluctantly. "However, Tucker has developed a few items we can use as defense." He gestured to Tucker so he could continue.

"Yeah. Well, we stole some blueprints and models from Danny's parents and tweaked them so that we could use 'em." Tucker grinned as he presented the team with his remodeled tools. "I give you the Fenton Shadow Vaporizer and the Fenton Shadow Reflection!"

"You're giving us watches and flashlights…?" Dash asked incredulously.

"No…I'm giving you weapons and defense! Now, I would demonstrate, but I have a feeling we should conserve the energy in these devices. Just know this: the vaporizer is the attack weapon—aim it at your target and a bright light will destroy it." Tucker decided to remain vague with what they would encounter, figuring Danny didn't want to freak them out. "The deflection works as a sort of barrier. Nothing will be able to enter it unless it's human. It's fully charged and can last for twelve hours. Both are solar powered, so you won't have to worry if you get stuck at your location; wait out the night and recharge it so you can make it safely out."

"Each team gets a pair?" Paulina asked quietly, strapping the watch-like device onto her wrist. "Why didn't we all get a pair individually?"

"Lack of resources, really." Tucker shrugged, strapping his own Fenton Shadow Deflection onto his wrist. "I assume you want to be on the offense?" He asked Sam offhandedly.

"Oh, you know me so well."She grinned gripped the Vaporizer, tossing it experimentally.

"Danny, which would you like?" Kwan asked, examining both items.

"…Whichever. Excuse me, I'll be right back!" He quickly ran up the stairs to his sister's room. Pulling out a sheet of paper, he quickly wrote:

_Jazz,_

_I know that I'm doing something extremely stupid, so that's why I'm leaving this note. I'm going into the woods to confront the 'Shadows'. They're haunting the town, and I'm going to put a stop to it. If I'm not home by tomorrow morning, tell mom and dad about this note. Tell them about the Shadows. They'll know what you're talking about. I love you guys…_

_ -Danny_

He sighed, placing the note on her bed. _Let's hope I get back before she reads this…_He pulled his jacket closer to his frame, noting just how cold Jazz's room was. _I need to go now…before this gets out of hand. _He walked back down the stairs to the group, sighing. _This is it. It all comes down to this._

"Ready?"

* * *

How was that? Are you ready for the horrors to begin?


End file.
